The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-19
A DAY WITH LINCOLN.
Pleasant "Reminiscences of q Visit TO Spring.
field

The time was rapidly approaching-ln Decem-
Der. 1S60-when the Ohio House of Representa-
tives, of which had been chosen Speaker, was
to begin its session Every day the threatening
attitude of the South became more alarming,
and the wisest heads began to fear that armed
collision between the North and the South was
inevitable. Under these circumstances Senator
Chase and Governor Dennison thought 1t best
should go to Springfield, MIR. Lincoln, ana
advise with him to what. if anything, he
desired said at the opening of the session IN
regard to national affairs. Mr.. Chase and Gov.
Dennison were very desrous that Ohio. by her
representatives, should place herself in the front
rank of the supporters of the Presidents pollcy
and have her voice influential in maintaining
the integrity of the Union and the enforcement
of the laws
It was biting winters day that I began my
journey to Springfield. furious SHOWS torn
was raging. and on my arrival at the capital or
illinois the whole city seemed almost buried I'M
der its white mantle. The streets were block
AIDED; only here and there a person was seen
hurrylng along the way and the place appeared
though substantially uuinhabited. Fortu-
nately, the fury of the storm had kept away the
usual army of Office seekers and had the good
with only Mr.. John g. Nicolay, his private sec
rotary, for companion Mr.. L. ID. Jones. the
sculptor. of Ohio, who was engaged IN making
bust of the President walked over from the
hotel and introduced me to AIr. Lincoln, who
rose upon our entrance and received us with I'M
assuming courtesy. Telling him at once that my
visit was purely official and that office-seeking
formed no part of my mission. he grasped my
hand in the most cordial manner, invited US to
be seated and remarked IN quizzing tone that
as most of his visitors wanted something and
generally wanted it pretty bad. he glad to
find nobody in Ohio had any such itching
This was the first time had seen Mr.. Lin
coin, and my first impression was that he and
Mr. Nicnlay were the two homeliest men had
ever seen in room at the same time. The
President at first appeared to be all angles. His
height was great his shoulders broad and
square, his legs, arms body, forehead, nose,
chin, seemed angular. He dressed in
old-fashioned black suit, well-worn dress~coat,
large amount Of shirt bosom. His face COW
cred with stubby beard of a few weeks
growth, which he explained by saying that he
was growing whiskers to improve the beauty of
his appearance. His hair long, thick
sprinkled with gray. and thrown back from
high. broad. retreating forehead The per-
eyebrows strongly marked and shaggy. The
skin of his face was brown. coarse, covered
with burrows and deep lines; mouth large,
eyes speaking. brilliant and thoughtful; hands
and feet enormous, and when seated his legs
from the knees down appeared out of all proper
ton in length TO the rest of his person. He held
silverbowed speetacles. Altogether his person
and manner was that of an extremely awkward,
ungainlv man dressed In country fashion in his
Sunday clothes visiting away from his daily
work and anxious to get back to his ordinary oc-
cupation and working garments. His face in
repose was that of a vigorous. original, intel
lectual thinker, but clouded with a peculiar
gravity near to melancholy as it can be de-
scrihed. When he began to talk the whole
countenance lightened, the eyes twinkled with
fun or shone with seriousness. At times his
laugh boisterous, boy-like. and genuine
that it was positively infectious.
Mr.. Jones called his attention to photograph
standing upon table, and he at once rose.
showed it to me, said it was taken of himself
few days ago, and asked my opinion about it. 1t
certainly was atrocious affair. but Mr.. Lincoln
seemed to regard it with kind of honest pride
and satisfaction I finally told him that he
not the handsomest man in the world but if he
out OF business he could not do better than
%1A ffcf vrho do fho r.nr nd oil
damages He laughed, aud said: "On reflection
the whiskers would look better if they
longer, but that was not the fault of the pho
togra pher." At this point Dir. Jones left, the
President telling him it was time he got to work
on the "mud-hea This was the model for
the marble bust of Lincoln SO widely known to
the country.
Mr.. Lincoln seated himself and drew up be-
side him two baskets, one fnll of unopened let
tiers, nearly peck, and the other for waste pa
per- Inviting me sit by him, he began to
rapidly open his mail, gancing at the signature
of each letter, laying such on the table as he
desired to notice. reading the brief ones. but
almost invariably throwing the threa four
page letters promptly into the waste
basket A large number of the let
ing if I knew tho writer's and commenting
them in the drollest and keenest manner i'm
aeinable. A large part Of the correspondence
was from the South most of it filed with COM
plants or threats of violence. Among the latter
was long play bill with coarse Autograph
representing Mr.. Lincoln hanging upon a gal
lows. Some doggerel rhyme printed under il
was after this fashion:
1.-Two posts upright,
One beam crossed tight,
One rope pendant,
In prose was added Sent with the compli-
ments of the Charlestown newspaper This
dent great amusement. He handed it over for
my inspection saying that bad as the poetry
is the likeness is worse. but the man who sent it
did his best, both in literature and art"
For nearly three hours / sat with Mr.. Lincoln.
listening with pleasure to that remarkable man.
He read aloud, talked freely, made running
leaders Of the country, asked questions, and
canvassed in the merrest, well the most
discriminating manner, the characters and pc
culiarlties OF the prominent national statesmen.
He laughed tested, told few stories. occasion
ally had long flashes of silence" and then
again became the entertaining host and COM
panion.
During all that long. enjoyable morning the
storm kept away all visitors. and, saving Mr..
Nicolay, who rarely spoke, was the only COM
panion of the President Some of his quaint
marks about >ublic men who were anxious for
place especially applicable. Once he turned
quickly to me and asked:
.'Does Chase want anythinel"
Eyes, MIR. President" I replied. she wants
something very much. but nothing you give
him"
''Oh. WELL" he said, she will have to wait q
At dinner hour Mr.. Lincoln rose and said he
would see me in the afternoon, after Colonel
BAKER Efo SPOKEN. his gentleman was tnen a
Senator of the United States. and made politis
cal speech at Springfield while passing through
the city. He was a very devoted friend
of Mr.. Lincoln, and his death soon after the
war broke out gave the Prerident the keenest
sorrow
After listening to Colonel Baker I reached the
State-house before the President. who finally
walked slowly up the yard toward the Capitol.
His overcost was somewhat short and worn. but
on his head he wore new fashionable silk hat,
in the extreme of style. and suitable only for
young man. On taking it off he showed it to
me with apparent pleasure, saying it gift
from one of his admirers in New York He was
quite surprised when I asked him to give it
away at the earliest moment it neither suited
his dress. age nor station. He said he would |
think the subject over; but the whole
he rather proud Of the hat and thought it
quite becoming.
The afternoon soon came to a close Mr.. Lin
coin pursuing the same round in the morning
but with less spirit and earnestness When I